Reviews of Only The Brave

My girlfriend and daughter both love this one me. I'm kind of neutral on it myself... My girlfriend originally gave me my first bottle of OTB as a gift. Years later when I wear it she'll randomly text me some days saying that when she woke up she could still smell me there (in a good way). It's one of the few fragrances I own that the people who I care most about seem to genuinely like.

One thing I would like to point out in a few of these negative reviews... They say my girlfriend or wife "gave this to me to wear." That indicates that someone else probably likes it...even if it's not your favorite. My definition of "good" doesn't always seem to be the same as how the rest of the world defines it.

Bright, sweet and fresh but harshly synthetic. Makes me think of Millesime Imperial with the sparkling fruit notes and musky notes but this is no substitute for MI.

Has decent projection and should be nice for those around you, so maybe expect some compliments. The sweetness is formidable to the point of being cloying, so be careful with how many sprays you apply.

One of the easiest scents I own and if truth be told I like it (not buy another bottle when I'm done like it), I've received a few compliments while wearing this, It obviously projects well. Tipsy ladies do enjoy a safe sweet synthetic fragrance in a British pub, mainly because they can actually smell you And unless she's a fragrance fanatic will not care if it's synthetic and especially in a pub. The scent will never win any awards for construction and smell but it's a very good all year rounder and if you can get it for a good price as I did then great ,(I like the violet note in this) the bottle design is a bit crap, all in all a safe fragrance with good projection and silage, It's like a concept prototype fragrance that needs better quality ingredients and craftsmanship but the promise is there. Uses for this scent include walking the dog and busy pubs.

Only the Brave is generically and derivatively blah. It seems to have been created by throwing together most of the latest faddish notes that have caught on from the wannabe best sellers of late. Only the Brave boasts ozonics, labdanum, violet leaf, Styrax, and leather in addition to the very traditional citrus, rosemary and amber. It has a harsh opening, a cleansing-product middle phase and a mismatched chemical base. It performs adequately in sillage and longevity. It’s overpriced compared to several better designer best-sellers available. One can do much better for less money.

Only the Brave is a fragrance for young guys who receive it as a gift. In that context, it's actually very good, excellent even. On the other hand, OTB was never going to do well here on Basenotes. It has obnoxious packaging, synthetic notes from start to finish and it was followed by flankers that tarnished the reputation of this reasonably competent original. But in the mid-level designer world the original OTB holds its head high and is actually quite decent quality for younger 20-somethings.

OTB opens with a powerful and sweet orange/apple fruitiness that is devoid of zest. This opening accord is unashamedly synthetic, as though it's boasting about it's artificiality because it's actually a decent abstract impression rather than a cheap substitute. A soft violet note joins the chorus after 15 minutes as the fruitiness subsides, and this is when the fragrance impresses most. Here the violet is masculine and friendly. And this is where the fragrance shows all its components, mustering up humble complexity for the nose to enjoy, unexpected in this segment. An hour later the leather note arrives, in the form of a chemical resonance that is softened by comforting amber.

I don't want to make out that OTB is spectacular. But it's clear that this is a launch that Diesel considered important enough to take note of what was going to be in the bottle. That's understandable because an original release must build its own name and win its own fans.

I wear this occasionally in the evening and find it to be a fun ride after wearing something much more serious to work. For younger guys, this is perfect for a night out.

Horrendous. It opens with clean light musk aquatic notes with a touch of pepper/leather, not bad but not great. After the top notes quickly wear off, this stuff turns very cloying and gross and does not go away. It stays in that unpleasant state until washed off. I know someone who wears this and can't say I enjoy smelling them. Synthetic musky pepper, I would never buy this again and tossed most of the bottle.